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Multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced after forest fires improve germination and development of Eysenhardtia polystachya.

ABSTRACT: Background:Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are nanoparticles with countless applications. MWCNTs are typically of synthetic origin. However, recently, the formation of MWCNTs in nature after forest fires has been documented. Previous reports have demonstrated the positive effects of synthetic MWCNTs on the germination and development of species of agronomic interest; nevertheless, there is practically no information on how synthetic or natural MWCNTs affect forest plant development. In this report, based on insights from dose-response assays, we elucidate the comparative effects of synthetic MWCNTs, amorphous carbon, and natural MWCNTs obtained after a forest fire on Eysenhardtia polystachya plant. Methods:E. polystachya seeds were sown in peat moss-agrolite substrate and conserved in a shade house. Germination was recorded daily up to 17 days after sowing, and plant development (manifested in shoot and root length, stem diameter, foliar area, and root architecture parameters) was recorded 60 days after sowing. Results:The treatments with natural MWCNTs accelerated the emergence and improved the germination of this plant, thus while untreated seeds achieve 100% of germination within 16th day, seeds supplemented with natural MWCNTs at doses of 20 µg/mL achieve the above percentage within the 4th day. Natural MWCNTs also promoted fresh and dry biomass in all applied treatments, specially at doses of 40 µg/mL where natural MWCNTs significantly promoted leaf number, root growth, and the dry and fresh weights of shoots and roots of seedlings. Seeds supplemented with doses between 20 and 40 µg/mL of amorphous carbon achieving 100% of germination within the 6th day; however, seeds supplemented either with doses of 60 µg/mL of the above carbon or with synthetic MWCNTs at all the tested concentrations could achieve at most 80 % and 70% of germination respectively within the 17 days. Finally, neither treatments added with amorphous carbon nor those added with synthetic MWCNTs, showed significant increases in the fresh and dry biomass of the tested plant. Likewise, the survival of seedlings was reduced between 10 and 20 % with 40 and 60 µg/mL of amorphous carbon, and with synthetic MWCNTs in all the doses applied was reduced at 30% of survival plants. Conclusions:These findings indicate that MWCNTs produced by wildfire act as plant growth promoters, contributing to the germination and development of adapted to fire-prone conditions species such as E. polystachya.

SUBMITTER: Juarez-Cisneros G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7183754 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced after forest fires improve germination and development of <i>Eysenhardtia polystachya</i>.

Juárez-Cisneros Gladys G Gómez-Romero Mariela M Reyes de la Cruz Homero H Campos-García Jesús J Villegas Javier J

PeerJ 20200423

<h4>Background</h4>Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are nanoparticles with countless applications. MWCNTs are typically of synthetic origin. However, recently, the formation of MWCNTs in nature after forest fires has been documented. Previous reports have demonstrated the positive effects of synthetic MWCNTs on the germination and development of species of agronomic interest; nevertheless, there is practically no information on how synthetic or natural MWCNTs affect forest plant developmen ...[more]

PMID: 32351779

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Project description:This study investigated the removal of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) from produced water by batch adsorption process using adsorbents developed from Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs). The MWCNTs, synthesized by catalytic chemical vapour deposition method using kaolin-supported tri-metallic (iron-cobalt-nickel) catalyst were purified by H2SO4/HNO3 and then functionalized with 1-pyrenebutanoic acid N-hydroxyl succinimidyl ester (PSE). The raw, purified and functionalized MWCNTs were characterized by High Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). In the results, HRSEM/HRTEM revealed the structure, purity and also confirmed the attachment of the PSE molecule onto the nano-adsorbent(s). The BET surface areas of MWCNTs, PMWCNTs and FMWCNTs were 970.17, 869.25 and 831.80 m2/g, respectively while the FTIR established the existence of surface functional groups. The functionalized MWCNTs (FMWCNTs) nano-adsorbent showed superior performance efficiency (93.6%) than the purified MWCNTs (PMWCNTs) (79.2%) as examined under the same batch adsorption condition: 0.02 g adsorbent dosage, 10-90 min contact time and 30 °C solution temperature probably, due the improved wettability resulted from incorporation of PSE. Subsequently, Central Composite Design (CCD) was applied to optimize the process parameters for the sorption of TOC onto FMWCNTs. The CCD in the response surface methodology predicted 260 mg/g adsorption capacity of FMWCNTs in the removal of TOC at the optimum condition of 49.70 min contact time, 34.81 °C solution temperature, and 0.02 g adsorbent dosage. The kinetics data were best described by pseudo-second-order model and thermodynamic parameters suggested that the process was feasible, spontaneous and exothermic. It can be inferred from the various analysis conducted that the developed FMWCNTs nano-adsorbent is effective for removal of TOC from oil-produced water and may be explored for removal of organic contaminants from other industrial wastewater.

Project description:The studies focusing on magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) composites have recently become fairly widespread because of MOC's excellent mechanical properties and environmental sustainability. Numerous fillers, admixtures and nano-dopants were studied in order to improve the overall performance of MOC-based derivatives. Some of them exhibited specific flaws, such as a tendency to aggregate, increase in porosity, aeration of the composite matrix, depreciation in water resistance and mechanical strength, etc. In this manuscript, MOC-based composites doped by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are designed and tested. In order to modify the final properties of composites, diatomite was admixed as partial substitution of MgO, which was used in the composition of the researched material in excess, i.e., the majority of MgO constituted part of MOC and the rest served as fine filler. The composites were subjected to the broad experimental campaign that covered SEM (scanning electron microscopy), EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy), HR-TEM (high-resolution transmission electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), OM (optical microscopy) and STA-MS (simultaneous thermal analysis with mass spectroscopy). For 28 days hardened samples, macrostructural and microstructural parameters, mechanical properties, hygric and thermal characteristics were experimentally assessed. The incorporation of MWCNTs and diatomite resulted in the significant enhancement of composites' compactness, mechanical strength and stiffness and reduction in water absorption and rate of water imbibition. The thermal properties of the enriched MOC composites yielded interesting values and provided information for future modification of thermal performance of MOC composites with respect to their specific use in practice, e.g., in passive moderation of indoor climate. The combination of MWCNTs and diatomite represents a valuable modification of the MOC matrix and can be further exploited in the design and development of advanced building materials and components.

Dataset Information

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced after forest fires improve germination and development of Eysenhardtia polystachya.

Publications

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes produced after forest fires improve germination and development of <i>Eysenhardtia polystachya</i>.

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